.
MUMBAI: Senior IPS officer and NIA chief Sadanand Date was Monday repatriated to Maharashtra and is likely to take over as the state’s police chief once incumbent Rashmi Shukla retires on Dec 31.Date, a 1990-batch IPS officer, was appointed NIA head in March last year. Date has headed the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and also served as joint commissioner of police (crime) and joint commissioner of police (law & order) in Mumbai. He is best known for fiercely defending Cama Hospital and the city against 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab, during which he was also injured.Date is widely regarded as one of the most honest IPS officers and a highly professional policeman. He is known for his initiatives and reforms to make policing effective, improving the delivery of police services, organisational development of the police, counter-terrorism, community policing, and even police welfare.Date received several commendations and awards in his three-decade-long career. He won the Mahatma Gandhi Peace and Communal Harmony award from the Minorities Commission and the Police Medal for Meritorious Services in 2007. Date also received the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry in 2009 for his role in repulsing the 26/11 attack.Among the shortlisted candidates, officials said they were not sure if the Centre would relieve Date since he was directly handling the crucial case of 2008 Mumbai blasts mastermind Tahawwur Rana, who was extradited this year.
